Modification to



Nov. 21, 1967 RATNER 3,353,811

MODIFICATION TO A 5-2 COASTING CONTROL VALVE Filed Aug. 6. 1965 EIE 2.

IN V EN TOR.

fill Lu United States Patent 3,353,811 MODIFICATION TO A 3-2 COASTING CONTROL VALVE Michael Ratner, 225 W. 106th St., New York, N.Y. 10025 Filed Aug. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 477,860 6 Claims. (Cl. 267-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved spring restraining member useful in connection with a spring-biased plunger is shown. The restraining member is mounted independently of the plunger and spring and is easily removed if repairs are necessary. A preferred restraining member is L-shaped, has a fiat, horizontal surface in contact with the upper portion of a helical spring and a vertical and upwardly extending arm which can be connected to a valve body or housing associated with the spring and plunger.

The present invention relates to valves, and particularly it relates to a standard type valve being utilized in hydraulic transmissions, and commonly known as a 3-2 coasting valve. In the technical language of the automotive engineer the 3-2 coasting control valve is designed to smooth out or eliminate a bump on the closed throttle downshift from high to intermediate in cruising range. The function of the 32 coasting control valve is to time the application of the front band with the release of the rear clutch in the downshift, from high to intermediate at closed throttle. More particularly, the present invention relates to modifications in a 3-2 coasting control valve of standard make.

In hydraulic transmissions of standard manufacture the 3-2 coasting control valve provides a useful function, and particularly in hydraulic transmissions of the Ford Motor Company type the 3-2 coasting control valve is provided with a plunger which is normally under the influence of a coil spring; the latter serving the purpose of providing pressure onto said plunger. In such a valve the coil spring is contained and held fast in the valve by means of a prefabricated sheet-metal clip. The latter may be mounted directly over the coil spring in a recess which is formed in the valves cover. The recess in question may be formed by a ring-shaped member which holds the sheet-metal clip in its proper location over the coil spring. The recess is an integral part of the valves cover and is formed therefrom. Because of an inherent defect in the design of the valves cover, the aforementioned ring-shaped member sometimes breaks and the sheet-metal clip (which keeps the coil spring normally taut) falls off releasing the coil spring and the spring pressure over the plunger. Under these conditions the 3-2 coasting control valve becomes inoperative and needs extensive repairs or costly replacement.

In actual practice it was found that the 3-2 coasting control valve (its cover) may not be readily repaired and a replacement of the cover is too costly. Accordingly it was more desirable to provide an entirely different or modified mode of arrangement for supporting the coil spring taut in its housing over the plunger. Such a modification may comprise a bracket or a holder which has one extension contacting the coil spring in question, and having another extension, by means of which the bracket may be held fast to the valves cover; or the modification may comprise a cylindrical body mounted over the coil spring. The cylindrical body may be provided with an extension formed at right angles and having a hole. By means of a screw bolt the cylindrical body may be fastened to the valves 3,353,811 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 cover over the spring. Other means of mounting may be possible. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a modification for mounting the coil spring in a 3-2 coasting control valve and keeping the latter taut without necessitating costly repairs to the valves body or to its cover.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a clip for holding securely the coil spring in a 3-2 coasting control valve in its plunger, such a clip being inexpensive to manufacture and installable to the valves cover with the minimum of elfort.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an L-shaped retainer or a bracket by means of which the coil spring in a 3-2 coasting control valve may be held in its normal mounting position without disturbing, changing or modifying the valves cover.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bracket means of the class described, said bracket means comprising an L-shaped body having a pair of extensions formed at right angles to one another. By means of one extension in the L, said bracket may be held over a coil spring in a 3-2 coasting control valve, and by means of the other extension in the L the bracket may be held fast to the cover of the 3-2 coasting control valve for the purpose intended.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an L-shaped bracket having a mounting extension with a hole. By means of-a screw bolt (which is an integral part of the valves cover) said bracket is held fast to the coasting control valve as set forth.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a substantially cylindrical body or a bushing, said bushing being located over the coil spring in the valve and having an extension formed at right angles thereto. By means of a mounting hole in said extension said bushing is held to the valves cover for the purpose intended.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction, and combination and arrangement .of parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and specifically pointed out in detail in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying figures, where like character numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically the body of the 3-2 coasting control valve with its plunger and the spring embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows three views of the mounting bracket in the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows a modification.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that there might be various modifications thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinafter set forth.

Referring now more particularly to the 3-2 coasting control valve 10, made in accordance with standard practice, best illustrated in FIG. 1, it comprises, in combination, the valves body 11; the valves cover or cover plate 12; the cover mounting screw bolts 13 (by means of which the cover 12 is held to the valves body 11); the valves plunger housing 14 (shown partially in crosssection); the valves plunger 15; spring 16; the L-shaped sheet metal bracket or the spring retainer 17; and the screw bolts 18 by means of which the retainer 17 is held fast to the valves body 11.

Reference being made to FIG. 2 (which is partially brokenaway to disclose the valve plunger 15 mounted in its housing 14), it is readily discerned that the L-shaped bracket or spring retainer 17 is formed by the substantially vertical side 20, and the horizontal side 21 with the latter formed at right angles to the vertical side 20. The side 20 may be provided with a mounting hole 2 2. By means of the screw bolt 18 passing through the hole 22 the retainer 17 may be readily secured to the valves body 11. Furthermore, it can be seen that by its opposite side or end 21, the retainer 17 helps keep the spring 16 taut in its housing 14, substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and. 2, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of FIG. 1, showing the position of the coil spring 16, in its relationship to the bracket 17 which is mounted in the housing 19 over the plunger 15. Reference being had to FIG. 4, it can be discerned that the spring retainer or bracket 17 is shown in threedifferent views, each taken from a different angle. View A shows the retainer 17 from a rear elevation. View B shows the retainer 17 in perspective; and view C shows the spring retainer 17 in top elevation.

FIG. shows a modification. Whereas the object of the modification shown in FIG. 5 is to serve a similar purpose as that already described of the spring retainer 17, i.e., tohelp' retain the coil spring 16 taut in plunger :15, the modification shown in FIG. 5 is of an entirely different construction and design than that already illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive. In this case, the modification may be provided with a solid vertical cylindrically-shaped member 23. The member 23 may have an extension 24 formed at right angles thereto. The extension 24 may be formed as an integral part of the cylindrical member 23. A mounting hole 25 may be formed in the extension 24 to permit mounting the retainer 23 by means of the screw bolt 18 to the valves body 11, substantially as shown and already described in FIG. 1. Whereas the spring retainer 17 (shown and described in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive) may be fabricated of sheet-metal, the retainer 23 instead may be formedas a casting, a forging, or a die casting. Also the r'etainer23 shown in FIG. 5 may be formed of plastic.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve having a plunger mounted in a chamber and free to move vertically therewithin said plunger having a top mounted helical spring thereupon to resiliently restrict its upward movement the improvement comprising: a restraining member in contact with all of the uppermost part of said helical spring having a flat horizontal restraining surface abutting said spring; a vertical arm fixedly attached to said flat restraining surface and extending upwardly thereof; and means associated with said vertical arm to connect said arm to a fixed mounting independent of said plunger and chamber.

2. The improved restraining member of claim 1 wherein said member is L-shaped.

3. The improved restraining member of claim 1 wherein said vertical arm has a bolt hole for mounting said arm independent of said plunger and chamber.

4. The improved restraining member of claim 1 wherein said member is a vertically mounted cylindrical body, the fiat, horizontal restraining surface is the underside thereof and an extension along the length of said cylinder is provided with means for mounting it.

5. In a 3-2 coasting control valve having a valve body, a plunger housing mounted thereon, a plunger in said housing and a helical spring mounted above said plunger resiliently restricting the upward movement of said plunger the improvement comprising: an L-shaped restraining member for said spring having a horizontal restraining plate fitting over all of the top of said helical spring and a vertical mounting arm extending upwardly of said restraining plate and abutting, along its length, the said valve body, said vertical arm having means therein to be mounted upon said valve body.

6. The improved restraining member of claim -1 wherein said vertical mounting arm is a fiat plate having a bolt hole therethrough whereby it can be bolted to the said valve body and when loosened, pivoted about said bolted position.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 440,516 11/ 1890 Stevens 267-1 1,965,718 7/ 1934 Wiley 267---1 3,147,962 9/1964 Williamson 2671 FOREIGN PATENTS 372,015 5/1932 Great Britain.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. M. WOI-ILFARTH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A VALVE HAVING A PLUNGER MOUNTED IN A CHAMBER AND FREE TO MOVE VERTICALLY THEREWITHIN SAID PLUNGER HAVING A TOP MOUNTED HELICAL SPRING THEREUPON TO RESILIENTLY RESTRICT ITS UPWARD MOVEMENT THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A RESTRAINING MEMBER IN CONTACT WITH ALL OF THE UPPERMOST PART OF SAID HELICAL SPRING HAVING A FLAT HORIZONTAL RESTRAINING SURFACE ABUTTING SAID SPRING; A VERTICAL ARM FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FLAT RESTRAINING SURFACE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREOF; AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VERTICAL ARM TO CONNECT SAID ARM TO A FIXED MOUNTING INDEPENDENT OF SAID PLUNGER AND CHAMBER. 